HBA-MPM H.B. 3331 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3331 By: Solis, Juan Judicial Affairs 4/30/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Historically, defendants in a jury trial have had access to a juror's personal information. This information may include the juror's name, home and mailing address, phone number, and place of employment. This personal information may be disseminated to any number of sources which may include the family of the defendant, friends of the defendant, or members of the media. H.B. 3331 limits the dissemination of this information to judges assigned to hear a cause of action in which a person is a juror or potential juror and to court personnel. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, by adding Section 62.0142, as follows: Sec. 62.0142. JUROR CONFIDENTIALITY. Defines "personal information" for purposes of this section to include a juror or potential juror's name, home and mailing addresses, phone number, and place of employment. Provides that this information obtained through the juror selection process under this chapter is confidential and not subject to Chapter 552 (Public Information), Government Code, with the exception that it may be disclosed to a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which a person is a juror or potential juror and to court personnel. Provides that this information is not a judicial record for the purposes of the Rules of Judicial Administration. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.